The present invention is directed to a hermetically sealed motor compressor for a refrigeration system, and more particularly is directed to a motor lead restraint for restraining a motor lead to the compressor motor housing.
The compressor is operably connected to a motor by a common shaft, all of which are enclosed within a hermetically sealed shell. An exterior motor lead provides power to the motor through a terminal block positioned in an aperture of the shell. If the motor lead is not restrained, vibrations from the motor and the compressor can cause the motor lead to rub against the housing and eventually wear through the insulation surrounding the motor lead, adversely affecting the operation of the motor and the compressor. In the past a spiral nylon wrap has been wound around the motor lead to protect the motor lead. This spiral wrap is expensive, time consuming to install, and only postpones the problem, since the motor lead can still move about and abrade.
Previous restraints have been permanently attached to the compressor by welding or some similar manner. Additionally, previous restraints have required the motor lead to be manually threaded through a tube or ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,359 to Kropiwnicki shows in FIG. 1 an unnumbered vertical tube which is flared at its upper end. The tube is permanently bonded to the motor housing and encloses the motor leads only after the leads have been manually directed through the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,092 to DiFlora shows a small clip which is bonded to the motor cover in some manner and which secures the stator winding leads. Some manual effort is involved in the placement of the leads and the securing of the clip.
FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,075 to Dirk shows a flexible tube enclosing the motor leads where the tube is sealingly engaged with an aperture in the motor end cap. Again, considerable manual effort is involved in locating the leads within the tube and the tube within the aperture.
In summary, all of the foregoing are expensive, cumbersome in the installation of the restraint device within the compressor, and cumbersome in the attachment of the motor leads to the restraint device. Additionally, the motor lead must be manually passed through the restraint device.